UD Quick Hits Oct. 21

Few enjoyed homecoming more than players and coaches from Delaware's 10-0 national championship 1972 team, which held a 40th reunion Saturday and was introduced at halftime.

Of Delaware's six national titles (1946, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1979 and 2003), the 1972 crown was the last of the four won via wire-service polls.

"The '72 team was a direct result of the '71 team," All-American defensive end Joe Carbone said. "The '71 team only had six or seven seniors, so '72 was a carryover and we just steamrolled after that."

"The defense was phenomenal," said College Football Hall of Fame coach Tubby Raymond, who won 300 games guiding the Blue Hens from 1966 through 2001.

The unit featured defensive tackle Dennis Johnson. Johnson, who died in 1997 at age 46, played five NFL seasons.

"In retrospect," Raymond said, "we never had a guy like Dennis Johnson before, during or after."

Back-to-back road wins against Temple, 28-9, and Villanova, 14-7, were season highlights. Against Temple, Johnny Bush returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and Roger Mason rushed for 182 yards.

But Delaware's Wing-T backfield was typically diverse. Vern Roberts rushed for 205 yards in a win over Lafayette, and quarterback Scotty Reihm gained 131 against Bucknell in the season finale.

Reihm, said Raymond, "was really emblematic of the team" because he wasn't a superstar but did "just a little bit of everything. He was a good, solid team guy."

QB to be

Delaware coach K.C. Keeler said quarterback Trent Hurley, who missed his first game, could "conceivably" be sidelined the rest of the season because of his Lisfranc foot injury.

"I think you'll see us use a combination of Tim [Donnelly] and Trevor [Sasek] throughout the rest of the season," Keeler said. "I just don't know if Trent can get back.

"I feel good about both of them," he added about Donnelly and Sasek. "You talked about two guys who are beloved on this team."

On the front

Brandon Heath moved to center, Ben Curtis replaced him at tackle and Erle Ladson returned to the other tackle spot after missing much of the Maine game in what Keeler termed a productive day for the UD offensive front. Center Jake Geiser's broken hand had precipitated the changes.

"It got us more physical with Brandon at center," Keeler said.

Record setters

Sean Baner kicked five extra points, giving him 54 straight and breaking Jon Striefsky's school record of 53. The junior has never missed a PAT at Delaware.

Senior wide receiver Nihja White tied the school record of catching a pass in 38 straight games set by Eddie Conti (1996-98).

- Kevin Tresolini

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UD Quick Hits Oct. 21

Perfect reunionFew enjoyed homecoming more than players and coaches from Delaware's 10-0 national championship 1972 team, which held a 40th reunion Saturday and was introduced at halftime.Of